music 1a - introduction to music
dan mitchell | music department | creative arts division | de anza college |

Les Preludes

Please note: Course green sheets and other materials may not be updated fully until the first class meeting. Web site registration for students enrolled in these classes will be activated at that time. Please note: The course number for these sections of Introduction to Music was recently changed from Music 1 to Music 1A. As I work to update the online course materials the old course number may continue to appear in some places even though the information does refer to Music 1A.

Franz Liszt

THE PROGRAM

"What else is life but a series of preludes to that unknown song whose first solemn note is intoned by death. Love is the enchanted dawn of all existence; but what destiny is there whose first delights of love are not interupted by some storm?… And what cruelly wounded soul, after such a storm, does not try to soothe its memories in the gentle calm of country life? But man does not allow himself to enjoy at length the restoring warmth which first attracted him to the bosom of nature, and when 'the trumpet sounds the alarm' (a quotation from Lamartine) he rushes to the dangerous post…to find in combat the full awareness of himself and the complete possession of his powers."

THE MUSIC

Section 1.

1. Pizzicato strings, f, Andante.
2. Basic motive, p, bowed strings in unison. High woodwinds, p.
3. Pizzicato strings, p.
4. Basic motive, p, repeated a step higher, bowed strings in unison. High woodwinds, p.
5. Basic motive developed in strings, p, crescendo, harp, high woodwind chords and brasses in background. Strings, f, introduce…

Section 2.

1. Full orchestra, ff, majestic staccato theme in brasses, strings accompany. Descend to…
2. First love theme, violins and cellos, p, basic motive in background. Solo horn, p, joins violins, first love theme continued in violins and cellos, crescendo. Decrescendo to…
3. Horns, p, second love theme. High violins lead to woodwinds, p, second love theme repeated, violins. Crescendo to ff, tempo quickens.
4. High woodwinds, p, tempo slows, oboe trill, strings ff, high woodwinds, p, oboe trill, p, high violins.
5. Solo horn, p, first love theme, flutes, p, beginning of first love theme; pause.

Section 3.

1. Cellos, p, storm theme, Allegro. Strings and woodwinds, crescendo, tempo quickens.
2. Full orchestra, f, brasses, basic motive, faster tempo, rising violin melody leads to full orchestra, ff, detached chords, downward rushing scale in strings leads to…
3. Brass fanfares, f, violins, ff, repeat fanfares; strings, decrescendo, tempo slows.
4. Solo oboe, p, first love theme slightly varied, clarinet accompanies, a little more moderate tempo; violins, p, repeat first love theme more slowly, harp accompanies.

Section 4.

1. Solo horn, p, pastoral motive, Allegretto, harp; solo oboe, clarinet, and flute develop pastoral motive.
2. Strings, p, answered by woodwinds in graceful exchange; legato melody in violins, p, flute answered by pizzicato strings, p, solo woodwinds lead downward, violins introduce…
3. Second love theme, violins, p, pastoral motive accompanies in lower strings. Second love theme repeated by flutes and violins, pastoral motive accompanies in harp and woodwinds. Second love theme repeated by horns and cellos, crescendo, tempo quickens. Full orchestra, ff, second love theme, trumpet fanfares. Running notes in violins, ff, introduce…

Section 5.

1. Trumpets, f, martial transformation of first love theme, Allegro. Suddenly softer, trumpet fanfares, crescendo.
2. Full orchestra, ff, martial transformation of second love theme, cymbal crashes, side drum.
3. Full orchestra, ff, martial transformation of first love theme, cymbal crashes, side drum, violins, woodwinds, trumpet calls, crescendo, cymbal crashes, tempo slows.

Section 6.

1. Full orchestra, ff, majestic staccato theme in brasses, strings accompany, cymbal crashes. Powerful orchestral chords at end.